OCR Text

New Braunfels Herald Zeitung (Newspaper) - December 30, 1987, New Braunfels, Texas
Opinions
D A V E K R A M E R, Edit or and Publisher WANDA LASATER, Acting Managing Editor
Page 4A
Herald-Zeitung New Braunfels, Texas
Wednesday, December 30 1987
GEE THANKS, BY THE WAY, I HAVE TO GO UP ON MY FEE, DUE TO THE ECONOMY PROBLEMS. IT IS THE cm LY JVA Y I CAN MAKE ENDS MEET.
Forum
Mike Rovko
Boesky still living better than most
All things considered, Ivan Boesky got a good deal when a judge gave him three years in prison for being one of the all-time great Wall Street hustlers
True three years is a long time to be out of circulation for anyone who is 50 And the word prison can stir terrible mental images — cell doors slamming, bleak prison yards being watched by hard-eyed guards in watchtowers, predatory gangs abusing and even killing their fellow inmates Or even rioting
But that s not what Boesky faces For one thing if he doesn t swindle any of his fellow prisoners or create other mischief he ll probably be released in less than three years And the federal pokey ne s probably going to can't be called a prison In fact the people who run it refer to it as a "camp The judge who sentenced him recommended that he be sent to the minimum-security facility in Lompoc Calif. about 150 miles north of Los Angeles
This is what he ll find life is like when he gets there
First he ll notice that there are no walls In stead the several well-tended acres are sur rounded by a waist-high fence There s really nothing to stop anybody from stepping over it and walking away since only five guards are on duty during the day and none carry weapons But because the OOO inmates are all white collar non-violent types, they don't try to escape It s not their style What would Boesky do if he ran off, head for Beverly Hills and hide out in the luxury hotel his wife owns9 As he enters the spacious grounds he ll notice
Guest Column
the two tennis courts volleyball court basket ball court softball diamond and physical fitness center with five weight lifting machines There s also a commissary where he will tx-able to buy ice cream and other snacks soft drinks smokes stationery and toiletries He ll live in a dormitory sharing a cubicle with one other inmate The cubicle has a desk and a couple of lockers I nfortunately he will not have a private bath If he wishes he can wear designer jeans Polo shirts or any other attire he can afford He can t play a radio, since it might disturb his neighobrs but he can have his own Walkman
He ll be required to work an eight hour day and will be paid although considerably less than the millions his insider trading provided him Depending on his skills he might be assigned to the furniture factory the dairy farm or given plumbing landscaping or janitorial duties lf he doesn t know how to run a lathe milk a cow >r sweep a floor he ll be taught During his free time which is considerable he ll have a wide range of options Besides ten ms volleyball or pumping iron he can visit one of five T\ rooms where they have all the cable stations including the Financial New - Network so he can keep up with that old fast buck gang of his
If he wants mental growth the local -t hoots send people to teach college level classes in eluding computers and electronics The cuisine isn t up to Manhattan s standards but it beats a skid row charity kitchen A recent dinner menu included soup pasta w ith meat sauce Parmesan c heese- garlic bread squash with cheese topping a salad bar with croutons
and a v ariety of dressings ice tea and other soft drinks and chocolate cake for dessert
lf he s not hungry he can just skip breakfast or any ether meal and slav in the sac k and
snooze
When he s not working his time is his own He* doest, t have to sit in his room Tntil ll p rn he can go outside and play tennis volleyball or jus' stroll outside and take in the evening air or he can read books from the regular librarx or the extensive law library lf he wants to sit up all night watching T\ thats OK too \ isitors are permitted Thursday through Mon day To make the visits pleasant there are out door picnic tables and a playground for children There s also a visiting room inside that doesn t have any dividing walls or si reens of the type* seen in prison mov les
All that and the sunnv climate of southern California
Now I'm not saying that this compares with Boesky s previous lifestyle with his estates Manhattan apartment limo and other luxuries But I rn sure there are millions of law abiding Amene ans who would gladly trade plac es a uh him Those who can t get jobs Those who are old and barely surviving on Soc ial Security in a two ro<>m walkup in a dangerous neigh!*>rhoi*j Those- Aho are virtual prisoners in some of the rneanei big city public housing projects Those who have just had their farms auctioned off It just shows what .I great society this is He steals a vast fortune and gets c aught is sent to prwrn and he s still living better than millions of Americans Who says tins country doesn t reward ambi Hon'’
New Year is time to set goals, priorities
By JUDITH Z AF F IR IN I District 21 State Senator
The start of a new year traditionally is a time for new beginnings, for taking on new responsibilities and setting new goals Accordingly many local organizations will be developing their agendas for the year, planning programs and setting priorities
As we strive to prepare our 21st Senatorial District for the 21st Century. I hope that all peril nent organizations will adopt agendas which in elude legislative goals and priorities including a re activation of legislative committees Organizations as diverse as chambers of com merce, civic clubs, volunteer associations and local groups of elected officials should organize now to have an impact on the 71st Legislature which convenes in 1989 During the 1988 interim, numerous task forces and study committees will develop legislation in every subject area This is the time that local leaders can influence such proposed laws, instead of waiting to react to bills after they are written and or passed In addition this is the time for us to develop pro posed legislation designed to meet the varied needs and interests of each of the cities and coun ties in District 21 When local leaders reflect unity and commit ment, they are more likely to have a positive im pact on decisions made at the state level A case in
point is the involvement of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce rn working with the State Board of In surance Working together we secured lower minimum insurance rates for out of state residents who drive on Texas roads a definite boon for border economies Fquaily important, we persuaded the SBOl to adopt a tourist policy to add more combined single limit rate categories and to reduce the minimum premium for taxis
Our success came because of the united effort of well informed persuasive business persons who addressed the problems and questions raised by recent changes in insurance law
Another success which was achieved with local involvement concerned a proposed change in the Texas Department of Health regions The change would have been detrimental to our district in that our TDH regional headquarters in Uvalde and others would have been closed leaving the entire border with only one such office in Harlingen Working with Uvalde and area leaders, we developed a rationale and plan of action for keep mg the office open Finally, we convinced the Texas Board of Health to alter its plans Today the TDH regional office in Uvalde is open serving our people in need
These successes demonstrate the importance of involving local leaders with expertise and en couraging them to become active at the state level
It also demonstrates tile effectiveness of a well prepared, well executed plan of action
legislative committees can develop such plans w ith the support of organization members Individual involvement also is important and can help secure the safety and welfare of a com muntty During the 7uth legislature for example numerous residents of our district offered sugges bons for legislation in areas such as juvenile justice and child welfare Many of these became law similarly individuals may now propose legislation for the 1989 session We can duplicate our successes across the district during the interim and the 71st legislature's session by taking time now to set priorities and establish the means for achieving our goals
Local legislative committees should meet the challenge to work with us in making a significant impact on the future of our families Ideally they should Im* subdivided by issues and or areas of concern so more individualized attention can be paid to a particular topic Developing a viable legislative agenda is crucial, as it working closely with elected of finals
My personal commitment is to carry local pro grams designed to meet the varying needs and in terests of every area of our district lf we all work together, however, especially through a district w ide network of legislative com mittees we will increase our effectiveness in preparing the 21st Senatorial District for the 21st Century
Coalition preying on voter fears
Editor
The residents and property owners in the Canyon Lake area should not be stampeded into voting against incorporation on Jan 16 by what appears to be a coalition of vested interests who have personal profits and nearly unrestricted ac tivities at stake real estate agents, developers water company owners and attorneys who do con siderable business for them They are preying on personal fears of tax lev ies increases especially among retired persons living on fixed Incomes My wife and I arx* retired and bv mg on fixed incomes, but I am not as concerned by tax levies in creases as I am by a number of other factors Tax levies increases probably will be minimal They might even be off set by a city sales tax which would be partially paid by visitors to the new city just as we pay sales taxes when we go to New Braunfels and San Antonio There should bt* no increase in school taxes bec ause the area is all under the ('urna1 Independent School District The roads are main tamed by the county if these were transferred to the new city then the county should reduce its taxes cor responding^ Taxes for a city ad rn inst rat ion and a police force should not be too high spread equally over the area The fire department could remain on a volunteer basis Taxes to sup port it might even tie a blessing because everyone would be involved and not just a few contributors F.ven more important a Canyon Lake city could force water com panies developers to install fire hydrants which are practically non existent now This should reduce fire insurance rate-* offsetting any approved water company increases which would be under local control as well as by the state There is also the possibility that city ordinances and restrictions could force the remov al of the deed restrictions thereby property owners now have to pav 124 a vear for maintenance which in most cases is non existent The newly created city would be able lo control the discharge of all firearms including air rifles pellet guns bows and arrow- and even fireworks The San Antonio l ily c ouncil is continually bringing up its quest for a surface water supply ( any on Lake always is mentioned lf San Antonio ever obtained the .ake as a water source then * any on Lake would tie just like Medina Lake a mere river bottom in dry years maybe even more often In addition to warding off the growth of New Braunfe.s and san Antonio into the area the ad vantages of I any on Lake incorpura bon are limitless
I a's ford P Miller
There is another candidate for president
Editor
The establishment media would have Americans believe that there are only six candidates rn the rate for tile Democ rain presidential nomination This is not true There is in fact a seventh candidate .17 year old David I Hike of New Orleans a widely traveled jour naiist and political commentator I Hike is if anything probably far better known nationally {x-rhaps even internal tonally than many of the major Democratic con tenders He has tieen featured on such media forums as Today show "Tomorrow program Loud Morning America ( toss Fire and Larry King Show Duke is a Populist monocrat who
bases his political philosophy on the traditions of the first Populist. Thomas Jefferson traditions that have been abandoned by Duke s Democratic challengers Duke is his supporters contend "the only real Democrat’’ running for pres! dent in 1988 Duke provides Democratic voters a real alternative Duke says that his campaign is about "protection protecting American jobs and in dustry protecting America s racial and cultural heritage protecting American families protecting America's farmers homeowners students and small businessmen protecting America by keeping her strong both at borne and abroad David Duke favors a strong na tional defense that is second to none He believes that endless taxpayer financed foreign aid giveaways are a big mistake IHike supports parity for small family farmers legisla Hon to protec t .American workers and industry from the flood of foreign imports and major tax cuts for the tax burdened middle class He opposes socalled affirmative action and racial quotas in hiring and education Duke believe- in Jef ferson s adage Fquai rights for all special privilege for nom*
I Hike also urges major national at bon to combat the Allis crisis David Duke is clearlv the kind of candidate who isr t afraid to -peak out on the tough ivsues He believes in power to the people not to special interest He s the kind of candidate that American needs support David Duke for President in 1988
On Nov V iTuef h.der 1'vf.s Vs kebala of the Pan \f Titan Interna bonal movement in Washington at a pres- conference with I Hike where he threw his support t<ehind the Democratic hopeful s presidential campaign Like us said Ak kebala David I Hike .- con.n ttrd to preserving the heritage ami rights of his own rate He urged all blacks whites and people of a., other races who wish to preserve their own individua. rat la. heritage to rally t*ehmd the Duke t andida. y I Hike he note I understands and respec t- ra*. la. different e-Kor more information you may write David I Hike for President
P O 2003!
Box
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Reader wants truth of Social Security
Editor
As a notch bat's bom between 191“ and 1921 seeking truth about and equity in Social sec unty benefits I am confused Two months or so ago a friend called my attention lo a newspaper article about H K 1917 introduced by Kepi Hoyt ai of I a11 forma ahich changes the present tieneflt for mala to eliminate the notch dispan tv We each wrote to five or six congressmen asking ti a* rn to vote for the bill Mv friend received several answers I ret rived only two and they say directly opposite things The quotes I rn giving you are out of context of course tnit I don t f**heve tile meaning is affected Hep Lamar Smith of the 21st District wrote Those individuals (mm during the notch years generally receive higher tn*ne!its than those tiom tiefore 1917 and after 1921 but gt«-s on to say that this bill s solution would cost an extra |9 billion a year How can that tie
Hep Albert Bustamante of Uw 23rd District wrote I nder tile cur rent benefit formula individuals bom between 1917 ami 1921 receive considerably lower tienefils than their peers What is the truth I wish I d tieen bom in 1916 or 1922
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